"So remnants of the Profound Heaven Sect truly still survive in this world after all. The one who fled to the Purple Cloud Sect, just who could that be...?" the Five Elders Association cultivator murmured under his breath.
As he spoke, he looked toward Zhou Qing'ang once more.
"Confirming this matter is of great importance to our Five Elders Association. Even though this was a transaction, I must still extend my thanks to Fellow Daoist. As for the contribution points that need laundering..."
He paused slightly before continuing, "Within a month, over a dozen cultivators of diverse identities will come to your door bearing safe standard spirit stones. Fellow Daoist need only transfer the contribution points to them."
As if fearing Zhou Qing'ang might harbor misgivings, he added, "The identities these cultivators use are all shell identities created by our Five Elders Association over a long period. Shortly after completing the transactions, they will perish for various reasons. You need not worry about investigations or leaks."
After carefully explaining the contact passphrases, the transaction between the two sides was essentially concluded with complete success.
"I eagerly anticipate our future cooperation," the black-robed Five Elders Association cultivator said slowly, looking at Zhou Qing'ang as they parted.
"As do I," Zhou Qing'ang replied with a smile, cupping his hands.
With that, he turned and departed.
Only when Zhou Qing'ang's silhouette vanished beyond the horizon did the Five Elders Association cultivator furrow his brows and mutter softly, "Zhou Qing'ang... Li Fan..."
"Just what are their true identities? After investigating for so long, we haven't managed to uncover even a shred of useful information."
"Does the Heaven-Overturning Society truly exist? Or is it merely a pretense conjured up by certain cultivators within the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals who wish to trade the intelligence they hold for resources?"
After pondering for a long time, he gave an easy smile of relief.
"Regardless, as long as they can supply us with intelligence, it makes no difference. The more chaotic the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals becomes from within, the better!"
The Five Elders Association cultivator's figure grew increasingly faint, gradually fading into thin air.
Meanwhile, having concluded the transaction, Zhou Qing'ang returned to Congyun Immortal City as if nothing had happened.
Moving such an astronomical sum of contribution points, Li Fan had long prepared for information leaks. But it mattered not. At most, the Five Elders Association would deduce that "Li Fan, cultivator of the Heavenly Mechanism Sect," was also a member of the Heaven-Overturning Society, and perhaps even suspect that his persona as an ancient cultivator was a disguise.
Yet as for Li Fan's true identity, they would never guess it in the slightest.
Who could ever imagine that the true identity of this cultivator stirring up substantial waves in the Xuanhuang Realm was merely a "mortal" from a pocket world?
Before long, all truth would be buried within the world-destroying catastrophe. Even if someone wished to investigate, there would be nowhere left to start.
The river of time surged onward, and everything progressed steadily according to plan.
Counting Liu San, the number of awakened Medicine King Sect cultivators had reached three hundred and forty-six.
Although the vast majority were only at the Foundation Establishment or Golden Core stages, with a mere five Nascent Soul cultivators among them, banded together they were already a force to be reckoned with. More importantly, with the passage of time, the effects of Bloodline Transfer became increasingly pronounced. Their reverence toward Li Fan deepened with each passing day.
In addition, Li Fan frequently brainwashed and reinforced them with the objective of "reviving the Medicine King Sect." Gradually, the gazes they directed at Li Fan were even filled with a certain fanaticism. Li Fan was confident that before long, even if he ordered them to sacrifice their lives for the Medicine King Sect, they would not hesitate in the least.
"The divine art of Bloodline Transfer is truly extraordinary." Li Fan was exceedingly satisfied with the effects of this divine art in his heart.
Naturally, the outstanding effects of the Bloodline Transfer divine art were built upon the foundation of Li Fan's absolute overwhelming strength.
Li Fan had once attempted to cast it on a Soul Formation cultivator, only to end in failure. Even converting those five Nascent Soul cultivators had been exceptionally arduous; it was only with Liu San's assistance that he had barely managed to complete it.
Since his manpower was now essentially sufficient, Li Fan gradually ceased awakening more Medicine King Sect cultivators.
Li Fan knew that the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals monitored the number of cultivators in each province. An inexplicable increase of over three hundred was still within a reasonable margin of error, considering the massive total population of cultivators in the Congyun Sea. But if there were any more, it might arouse suspicion and trigger an investigation. Thus, he decided to put it on hold for now.
After consulting Liu San on detailed information regarding the Dao Integration elders who were still slumbering, Li Fan used his second Truth Enticement Fruit.
He awakened a Dao Integration cultivator named Fang Zaiji.
This man was an elder of the Medicine King Sect who specialized in artifact crafting. The Small Medicine King Cauldrons used by the disciples had come from his hands.
In reality, Fang Zaiji was not originally a cultivator of the Medicine King Sect. Many years ago, while being hunted down and at death's door, he had been rescued by Liu Ruchen. To repay the debt of gratitude and simultaneously evade his pursuers, he had remained in the Medicine King Sect as a consecrated elder.
He actually held little affection for the Medicine King Sect itself. However, he was deeply intrigued by the forging method of the Medicine King Sect's sect-guarding divine artifact, the Medicine King Cauldron.
Back then, Liu Ruchen had promised to lend him the Medicine King Cauldron to study, and only then had he been persuaded to stay.
Li Fan used the Truth Enticement Fruit to alter Fang Zaiji's cognition.
Now, in Fang Zaiji's perception, during his time in the Medicine King Sect, he had been relatively unfamiliar with the other disciples.
The sole exception was Liu Yihang—who was now Li Fan—who had pestered him day after day. He had virtually watched Li Fan grow from childhood to adulthood, coming to regard him as half a son in his heart.
Likewise infused with instructions of absolute trust in Li Fan, when the Truth Enticement Fruit dissolved and Fang Zaiji awakened, under Li Fan's recounting, he quickly came to understand their current situation.
"It seems the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals is even more sinister than the Ten Sects of the Immortal Dao back then." A flicker of gloom crossed Fang Zaiji's eyes.
"Sect Master, you should have awakened me sooner," he said with a hint of reproach in his tone.
Li Fan shook his head slightly and explained, "Initially, we needed to find the Valley of Longevity first to secure a foothold, so naturally Old Liu was awakened first.
"When I considered waking you next, Mr. Fang, I heard that the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals monitors the cultivator counts in every province. At the time, I wasn't clear on what was going on, so for safety's sake, I held off. Now that I have figured it out, it seems to be related to the new method modern cultivators practice. Since you are unaffected by it, I finally awakened you."
Fang Zaiji nodded slightly, accepting Li Fan's explanation.
"Monitoring the number of cultivators might be related to the Immortal Ruins," he said suddenly after a moment, as if recalling something.
"Oh?" Li Fan was somewhat surprised and looked at him curiously.
"During my travels back then, I heard by chance that the Ten Sects of the Immortal Dao once laid down a grand formation that enveloped the entire Xuanhuang Realm," Fang Zaiji said, seeming to lose himself in recollection.
"Like a blade suspended over the heads of all living beings, from the day they are born, all life under heaven—regardless of cultivation or race—falls within the formation.
"This formation could not only deal with the world's cultivators with ease, but it could also gather the power of all living beings, span the endless void, and pinpoint the locations of other cultivation worlds. Furthermore, it established cross-realm passages to wage conquests," Fang Zaiji stated slowly.
Chapter 635